Contact device.



PATENTED JUNE 16, 1903.

" H. R. SARGENT.

CONTACT DEVICE.

APPLICATION run!) we. 31. 1900.

N0 MODEL.

Inventor: I Howard R.sargent.

UNrrEn STATES" Patented June 16, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

HOWARD R. SARGENT, OF SCI-IENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERALELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CONTACT DEVICE.

.5PECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 730,975, dated June16, 1903.

I I Application filed August 31, 1900. Serial No. 28.656. (No model.)

To all w/wm 7325 may cancer-7t:

Be it known thatI, HOWARD R. ,SARGENT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, haveinvented certain. new and useful Improvements in Contact Devices, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The object of thisinvention is the provision of means whereby a lamp,together with another translating device, can be electrically connectedwith a single socket of the wellknown type.

Figure 1 is an elevation showing the application of the device whereinthe lamp L instead of being inserted directly into the ordinary socketis screwed into a socket forming a portion of the contact device,another portion of the contact device being adapted to be screwed intothe ordinary socket wherein the lamp would ordinarily be inserted.- Fig.2 is a longitudinal section of the device shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is atransverse section taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 and looking down-'ward. Fig. 4 is an end view of the larger end of the device looking intothe opening. Fig.

5 is an end view looking at the outside of the smaller end of thedevice. Fig. 6 is an end view of the upper portion of the device withthe contacts removed, and Fig. 7 is an elevation of the shell which issecured in the cavity in the larger end of'the device.

In Fig. 1, O is a center contact on the smaller or plug end portion ofthe device. This center contact is mounted on an end extension E and isadapted to engage with the center-contact ofthe common socket, as iscustomary. H is a screw-threaded metallic shell mounted below the centercontact 0 on the smaller or plug end portion of the device, whichportion is of suitable insulating material. This shell H is adapted toengage in a similar shell in the common socket, as is also customary.The larger or socket end part A of the device is also made of suitableinsulating material and is cup-shaped to receive the base B of the lampL, which carries the lampcpntacts in the usual way. In the side wallsand base ofthe socket part A are formed openings V V, Figs. 3 and 5, andlocated therein are binding-screws P 1?, which are secured to terminalsT T, in turn connected with the contacts Q and K, Fig. 2, with which thelamp-base engages inside the socket part A. These binding-screws arereadily accessible from outside the cup-shaped socket partA and areadapted to secure the ends of the auxiliary circuit-wires X. The lampmay be partially unscrewed from the socket part A or entirely removedtherefrom, so that the translating device connected with the wires X canoperate alone, or the lamp may be inserted and operated independently ofthe other translating device connected with the branch wires X, or, inaddition, when it is desired, both the lamp and the other translatingdevice can be connected simultaneously in the circuit from a singlesocket ot' the familiar type.

As shown in Fig. 2, the center contact 0 is secured to the extension Eby the screw I,

which extends through a hole in the insulating plugor base partD.'lheinsulating plug or base part D constitutes a projection J, Figs. 2and 6, from the lower cup -shaped insulating part A. The plug or basepart D is formed with a rim R around its lower portion, and ascrew-threaded metallic shell II is mounted around the plug or basepart, with its lower edge resting on'the rim R. The shell H is formedwith a shoulder' H at its upper portion, and this shoulder rests on theupper portion of the plug or base part D, from which projects theextension E.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 6, holes or grooves F and G extendlongitudinally through the plug or base part D and register with holesin the rim R, and, as seen in Fig. 2, screws M and N pass through holesin the shoulder H of the shell H, into the grooves F and G,respectively, and through the holes 5 ted circle indicates the innerwall of the cavity in the lower portion of the support. V and V indicateholes, described above, which are formed in the base and sides of thesupport in order that the auxiliary contacts T to and T, which areconnected to the terminals in the cavity, may be connected with thebranch circuit-wires X. The portions of the holes which extend throughthe side walls of the support permit the insertion of a screw- [5 driverfor turning the binding-screws P and P, which secure the branch Wires Xto the auxiliary terminals T and T, and the portions of the holes whichopen through the base are connected with grooves W W, which are joinedtogether at the common lateral opening 0 and are adapted to receive theends of the wires X. When the upper plug or base part D is placed uponthe socket part A, it serves with its lower rim R. to inclose the loweropenings and the grooves in the base of the socket part A to formpassages through which the wires X may be inserted to engage with theauxiliary terminals T T. The portions of the holes V V which .extend 0through the side walls are permanently open,

so that the binding-screws are always accessible. Thus while it is truethat the branch wires can be readily connected to the device before theparts are assembled they may be quite readily inserted and removed whenthe parts of the device are all secured together.

Fig. 4 shows the inside of the cup-shaped socket partA, which is adaptedto receive the lam p-base. This portion of the device is 0 shown inlongitudinal section in Fig. 2, and

in Fig. 7 is shown in elevation the screwthreaded metallic shell K,which is secured in the cavity in the socket part A and is adapted toreceive the corresponding shell of 5 the base B of the lamp. This shellK, Fig.

4, is provided with shoulders Z on diametrically opposite sides of oneend, and on these shoulders respectively rest the arms of a yoke Y,ofconducting material. The screws M and go N, which secure the shell H tothe plug or base part D, extend through the part D, the bottom of thepart A, the shoulders Z of the shell K, and engage the arms of the yokeY, thereby securing all the parts together and 5 electrically connectingthe shells K and II.

From the upper or middle portion of the yoke Y extends an integralconnecting portion or terminal T, which is bent over to extend upwardlyinto the opening V in the base of co the support A, as shown in Fig; 1,so that the binding-screw P, which is secured in the terminal T, isaccessible through the portion of the opening V which extends throughthe lateral wall of the support Aand so that one of the branch wires X,which extends through the groove WV, can engage'between the terminal Tand the binding-screw P. Upon through the rim R.

the central elevation E on the interior of the bottom of the cup-shapedpart A (shown in Fig. 4:) is mounted a center contact Q, which isadapted to be engaged by the center contact of the base B of the lamp L.This contactis held in position by the end of the screw I, which securesthe center contact Oto the extension E on the other end of the device.This screw 1 extends through the plug or base part D, the bottom of thesocket part A, and the interior center contact Q to hold all said partssecurely in position and electrically connects the center contacts 0 andQ. Extending from the center contact Q is an integral connection orterminal T, which is bent over and extends up into the hole V in thebottom of the socket part A, so that in a manner similar to that shownin Fig. l the hinding-screw P, which is secured in the terminal T, maybe accessible from the outside through that portion of the hole V whichextends through the lateral wall of the socket part A, and, as shown inFig. 3, the end of the other branch wire X, which extends through thegroove W, may be firmly secured between the terminal T and thebinding-screw P.

Fig. 5 is aplan of the device looking at the smaller end which isadapted to be inserted in the ordinary socket. Only asmall portion ofthe openings and grooves in the outside of the support A appear, as thegreater part of them is covered up by the upper plug or base part D,upon which is mounted the threaded shell H. However, small portions ofthe openings V V appear, showing how the binding-screws are accessiblefrom outside, and the lateral opening 0, in which the .grooves W and Wmeet, is shown, indicating the place of entrance of the branch wires X.Fig. 6 shows the upper insulating plug or base part D stripped of allits contacts. As described above, it consists ofa main plug or base partD, which constitutes the projection or plug of theentire device. It isformed with a rim R at one end and at the other with an extension E,which is countersunk at E for the reception of the screw which securesthe center contact to the extension. A hole extends entirely through thecenter of the part. F and G are grooves in the lateral surface of theplug or base part D for the reception of the screws M N, which securethe two supports and their shell-contacts together, and these groovesare continued as holes Fig. 7 is an elevation of the shell K, which issecured in the cavity of the cup-shaped part A and is adapted to receivethe lampbase B. Z represents the shoulders (shown also in Fig. 4) bywhich the sleeve is secured in the socket part. Z is a portion cut awayfrom one side of the shell between the shoulders Z for the purpose ofproviding a passage for the auxiliary terminals T. Z is a largercut-away portion of the opposite side of the shell, also between theshoulders Z for the purpose of providing a passage for ICC IIO

the auxiliary terminal T, which requires a larger opening in the shell,because it is mounted on the elevation E of the base, whereas theshell-contact with which the terminal T is integral is mounted on thebottom of the base.

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-

1. In a connecting device, the combination with an insulating-supporthaving a projection on one end and a cavity in the other end, ofplug-contacts on the projection, lampsocket contacts in the cavity,auxiliary terminals connected with the socket-contacts in the cavity,lateral openings through the supportinto the cavity, for the receptionof the auxiliary leads, and the binding-posts mounted in said auxiliaryterminals and accessibly located in said lateral openings, for securingthe auxiliary leads to said auxiliary terminals.

2. In a connecting device, the combination with an insulating-supporthaving a projection on one end and a cavityin the other end, ofplug-contacts on the projection, lampsocket contacts in the cavity,auxiliary connections in the cavity with the socket-contacts andprovided with binding-posts inside the device, and lateral openingsthrough the support leading from the outside to the binding-posts forthe passage of branch circuitwires thereto.

3. In a connecting device, the combination with an insulating-supporthaving a projection on one end and a cavity in the other end, of plugcontacts on the projection, lampsocket contacts in the cavity,binding-posts in the cavity electrically connected with the lamp-socketterminals, and lateral openings through the support into the cavity topermit the passage of branch circuit-wires to the binding-posts.

4. The combination with a lamp-carrying insulating part formed with twoopenings from its bottom to the interior, and with grooves in the bottomextending from the,

openings through the lateral wall of the part, of an insulating plug orbase part-abutting against the bottom of the first part, the second partcovering the openings and grooves in the base of the first, both partsbeing formed with registering holes, and screws extending through theholes to secure the parts together.

5. The combination with a lamp-carrying insulating part, of aplug-shaped insulating part abutting against the bottom thereof, acenter contact on the end of the plug part, a center contact on thebottom of the lamp-carrying part, a conducting-screw extending throughthe plug part, the bottom of the lampcarrying part, and the two centercontacts, an opening in the side of the lamp-carrying part andcommunicating through the bottom with the interior thereof, for thepassage of lead-wires, and an auxiliary terminal provided with abinding-screw located in said opening, said terminal being connectedwith the center contact in the lamp-carrying part.

6. The combination with a lamp-carrying insulating part, of aplug-shaped insulating part abutting against the bottom thereof, ascrew-threaded metallic shell on the plug part, a screw-threadedmetallic shell in the lamp-carrying part, conducting-screws extendingthrough the plug part, the bottom of the lamp-carrying part, and the twometallic shells, an opening in the side of the lampcarrying part andcommunicating through the base with the interior thereof, and anauxiliary terminal in said opening and connected with the metallic shellinthe lamp carrying part.

7. The combination with an insulating-support formed with an end cavityand openings through the walls thereof, ofa screw-threaded metallicshell in the cavity, conductingscrews for securing the shell therein andfor electrically connecting the shell with the linecircuit, a centercontact in the cavity, a conducting-screw for securing the contacttherein and for electrically connecting it with the line-circuit, andbinding-screws in the wallopenings of the support, said screws beingconnected to said shell and contact respectively, and adapted to receivebranch circuitwires through the openings in the wall of the support.

8. The combination withaninsulating-support formed with an end cavity,depressions in the bottom of the cavity, and openings through the wallsof the support into said depressions, of a threaded metallic shell inthe cavity, conducting-screws for securing the shell therein and forelectrically connecting the shellwith the line-circuit, a center contactin the cavity, a conducting-screw for securing the contact therein andfor electrically connecting it with the line-circuit, connections fromthe shell and center contact respect-ively, which are bent over into thedepressions in the bottom of the cavity, in order not to be in the wayof the lamp which the shell is adapted to receive, and binding-postsmounted in the connections, which are adapted to receive branchcircuit-wires through the openings in the Wall of thesupport.

9. An electric connecting device constructed at one end to engage in alamp-socket and at its other end to receive a lamp-base, the latter endbeing constructed with holes and grooves, binding-screws located in theholes and connected with the contacts of the lampsupporting end of thedevice, said grooves serving to receive the leads which extendtherethrough for attachment to the bindingscrews in the holes.

10. Acup-shaped porcelain support formed with two openings, each ofwhich extends from the interior through a portion of the side wall andbase, said support being also formed with two grooves in the base,Whichextend from those portions of saidopenings which extend through thebase, said grooves meetlamp-socket contacts mounted on said suping at acommon opening in the side wall of port, auxiliary terminals leadingfrom said the support. contacts through said holes, and binding- 5 11.The combination with an insulatingscrews in said auxiliary terminals forsecursupport, of a screw-threaded metallic shell ing the wires which areled inside the device having an annular shoulder on one end and throughthe grooves.

adapted to receive and fit around the support, l7. In a connectingdevice, the combination so that said shoulder rests against the end withtwo porcelain parts, otplug-contacts on 60thereof,alamp-supportingcoutact,andscrews one, socket-contacts on theother, and con [0 extending from the shoulder into the supportducting-screws for holding the two parts toand into the contact, thescrews serving to gether and for retaining all the contacts on hold thecontact and shell in place on the suptheir respective parts. port and toconnect the contact and the shell 18. Ina connecting device, thecombination 65 together. with two porcelain parts, of plug-contacts on12. The combination with an insulatingone and socket-contacts on theother, grooves support, of a contact on the end, a screw exfor leads inthe end of the latter part, which tending through the contact into thesupport, grooves are closed by the former part and bindated between theout- 70 a screw-threaded metallic shell having an aning-screwsaccessibly loo nular shoulder on one end and adapted to fit lot of thegrooves and the circuit-terminals around the'outside of the support, sothat the to which the screws are connected.

shoulder rests on the end thereof, and screws 19. The combination withtwo porcelain extending through the shoulder into the supparts, oneformed with a projection and the port. other with a cavity, ofplug-contacts on the 75 13. An insulating plug or base part of a one andsocket-contacts on the other respec- 2 5 support formed with a centralextension on tively, and metal screws which hold the parts one end andan enlarged rim around the other together and retain all the contacts ontheir end, a hole entirely through the central exrespective parts.tension and the main body of the support, lon- 20. In a connectingdevice,the combination 8o gitudinal grooves in opposite surfaces of thewith two porcelain parts, of plug-contacts semain body of the insulator,and holes through cured on one and socket-contacts secured on the rim,which register with the grooves. the other, the latter part being formedwith 14. Inaconnecting device, the combination holes and grooves whichare closed by the with an insulatingbottom formed with a former partwhen the two parts are assembled, socket projection adapted to receive acenter means for holding the parts together, and

contact, of a ring-contact surrounding said means for connecting incircuit the leadprojection, auxiliary terminals leading from wires whichcan be inserted in said grooves. said contacts, and a threaded metalshell '21. In a connecting device of the class deformed withattaching-shoulders and with scribed, the combination with two porcelain9o cut-away parts of difierent sizes adapted to parts, one provided withplug-contacts and 0 receive said auxiliary terminals. the other withsocket-contacts, the latter be- 15. The combination withan insulatingingprovided with grooves for the reception support having a projection onone end and of auxiliary binding-posts connected to the a cavity in theother end, of plug-contacts on socket-contacts, of means for securingsaid 95 the projection, lamp-socket contacts in the parts together, andsuitable materialbetween cavity, a lateral opening in the wall of thethe parts to serve as a buffer to prevent support into the cavity, forthe reception of breakage. branch circuit-wires,and means in theinterior In witness whereof I have hereunto set my of the support whichis readily accessible for hand this 30th day August, 1900.

connecting the wires with the circuit. HOWARD R. SARGENT.

16. In a connecting device, the combination Witnesses: with aninsulating lamp-support, said sup- BENJAMIN B. HULL, port being formedwith holes and grooves, of EDWARD WILLIAMS, .I r.

